Why Sharad Pawar 'thanked' PM Modi at MVA press conference
What's the story
Leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, and Prithviraj Chavan, held a press conference in Mumbai on Saturday to thank the public for their support in the Lok Sabha elections.
Simultaneously, Pawar seized the opportunity to take potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, crediting him for MVA's strong performance in Maharashtra.
"Wherever the Prime Minister's roadshow and rally took place, we won. That is why I consider it my duty to thank him," Pawar stated.
Future plans
MVA coalition to contest together in upcoming elections
Swayed by the MVA's success, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Thackeray announced that the MVA will also contest together in the upcoming assembly elections.
He expressed gratitude toward citizen groups and YouTube channels for their contributions during the elections.
Thackeray also made it clear that those who left him will not be taken back into the party.
"What happened to the narrative of good days, what happened to Modi's guarantee?" he questioned, hailing MVA's victory as a fight to save democracy.
Coalition dynamics
MVA leaders discuss coalition dynamics and future strategy
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Chavan highlighted the democratic nature of the coalition, stating there is no big or small brother within the alliance.
Elaborating on the decision to contest the assembly election together, he said, "A decision has been taken to decide the seat-sharing formula based on merit, for which discussion for each and every seat will take place, and decisions will be taken accordingly."
Election outcome
Maharashtra election results deal blow to BJP
Maharashtra was among the three states that handed the biggest blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the recent elections.
The election saw a drop in the BJP's tally to nine seats from 23 won in 2019, reducing the NDA's total to 17 out of Maharashtra's 48 seats.
This was in sharp contrast to the Sena-BJP alliance's 43-seat win in 2014.